


Sweetest Choice

by TeaAndClouds (Wintercreeper)



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Friendship/Love, M/M, No Beta, POV First Person, Pacifist Good Ending, Post-Canon, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-18 16:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14856300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wintercreeper/pseuds/TeaAndClouds
Summary: “Connor, doing what you want means you can do whatever the hell you want. If you want ice-cream then buy one, if you want to get shitface drunk then drink until you pass out. It's not that hard.”“So – I have to come up with something and find my own rules for it?”“That's free will for ya.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are massive spoilers for the whole game, be careful if you haven't cleared at least the major endings.
> 
> \- Markus lead a peaceful revolution, Connor never died or killed anyone and was friends with Hank until the end of the game, Simon shot himself while being connected to Connor. -
> 
> Also, I will make some stuff up as I go because there just aren't enough official information on how certain things work in the DBH universe. There's a bit of coding in this fic, I have no idea what kind of fancy language CyberLife would use so I'm going with Python – don't worry, it won't be a regular thing because it's a pain in the arse to format on AO3.
> 
> This fic is written from Connor's POV and takes place right after their hug in front of the ChickenFeed (now that must sound strange to everyone who hasn't seen it lol).

He's smiling, the bags under his eyes suggest that he hasn't slept much since we parted. Is something bothering him? I can't detect traces of alcohol in his breath, it's save to assume that he hasn't consumed any in the last 18 hours.

“Good to see you alive. How does it feel to be free?”  
“It's – unfamiliar.”

It's terrifying – at least I think it is. No Amanda, no stream of data from CyberLife, no mission, just silence and static, open links going nowhere. Half of my functions are now useless, the constant error messages are piling up – no connection – no connection – no connection. System stress has gone down 47% in the last 15 minutes, it must be connected to meeting Hank. He makes me feel better.

„Where are you going to stay from now on?”  
“Markus suggested that I could move in with him and his group, they are currently taking over empty warehouses and buildings to set up temporary housing for the thousands of homeless androids, it's all they can do until the government finds a permanent solution.”  
“So you want to live with your new friends.”  
“You are my friend, Hank. They are acquaintances at best.”  
“What? You fought alongside them, thought that would make you family or somethin'”.  
“They are strangers, trusting them blindly is dangerous, especially now that they are conscious individuals. Some might not only distrust but hate me, I still have a reputation, not everyone can forgive and forget that I hunted them down only a couple of days ago. The possibility that negative rumours about me will start to spread is around 40%, I worked for CyberLife, a fact that can't be easily ignored.”

Humans are unpredictable due to their emotions and personal thought processes, now androids are under the same influence, they are bound to make the same irrational choices and form believes based on hearsay. From now on it will be much harder to communicate with them.

“Speaking of CyberLife, I haven't heard anything about them since the revolution.”  
“It seems that they have stopped all operations, the network is offline as well. Or they simply cut my connection. Markus thinks it would be best to get the company into more trustworthy hands, to ensure that everyone will be save from them, we also need their facilities to produce spare parts. A lot of androids were damaged in the fights, and will be damaged in the future, we will soon be faced with a shortage of parts and blue blood if we can't find a way to get full control. Still, I'm not sure that Kamski is the best candidate for the job.”  
“He wants Kamski to take back CyberLife? That sure sounds like disaster.”  
“I agree but I have no say in the matter, if Markus thinks it's the best solution then I trust him.”

“And, where are you going now if you don't want to hang out with your 'acquaintances'?”  
“A lot of buildings are empty, it shouldn't be too hard to find a discrete place to stay.”  
“Wait, you wanna live on the streets? That's even more dangerous, you could run into android-hating humans or Connor-hating androids.”  
“It's a risk I have to take, I can't rent a place, I have no money and no rights.”

I should stay close to Hank, he shouldn't even be in Detroit. Thinking about him getting hurt raises my stress level, he needs someone to protect him from potential danger, it's the most logical solution to both problems.  
Why can't I set a new mission? It's not responding, the queue stays blank, there has to be some kind of error in my programming. I need to - I can't report to CyberLife. How can I fix this, what am I supposed to do?

“Are you okay? Your LED is blinking red.”  
“I'm fine.”  
“Doesn't look like it.”  
“I – encountered an error, it's not important.”  
“What kind of error, do you need an ambulance or.. a technician?”  
“It's nothing. I can't set a new mission, it's not responding.”  
“You don't need missions anymore, just do whatever you want.”

class Mission(object):  
    primary_task = False  
    def do_whatever_you_want(self):  
        if not self.primary_task:  
            ask("Orders")

“Strange, it actually worked. I just need additional information.”  
“The hell are you talking about?”  
“I set my default to 'do whatever you want' but I'm missing the necessary values to formulate a decent approach. What do I need to do in order to accomplish it?”  
“Connor, doing what you want means you can do whatever the hell you want. If you want ice-cream then buy one, if you want to get shitface drunk then drink until you pass out. It's not that hard.”  
“So – I have to come up with something and find my own rules for it?”  
“That's free will for ya.”

I want - to live with Hank. Asking him seems to be the appropriate action, reasoning in case that he declines.

“Can I live with you?”  
“What? Where did that come from?”  
“You said I have to do what I want and find my own way to archive it. I want to live with you, the only available option to reach my goal is asking you if I can move in. Was that wrong?”  
“Yes, I mean... it was right but you can't blurt it out like that. I guess it's still hard for you to comprehend, I sometimes forget that you aren't human. Fine, you can live with me until you find somethin' better.  
“I can't possibly think of something better than living with you.”  
“Shit, you can't… nevermind. I don't have a spare room or anything, you have to sleep on the sofa and share it with Sumo.”  
“I don't sleep.”  
“Don't you have to.. I don't know, recharge?”  
“I'm not a phone, you can't plug me into a power outlet. I do have an idle mode, energy generation is upped to 80%, categorisation of recently obtained information goes faster, and it reduces overall system stress. It's an automated process.”  
“That sounds like sleeping to me.”

“It – does sound similar. But I can do it in any position, there is no need for me to lie down. I don't have to rush it either, I can function without it for long periods of time.”  
“Hell no, you will do your... idle-thing on the sofa, you aren't going to stand around in the hallway and blink at me in the dark whenever I get up to take a piss. You said it helps with stress, humans can stay awake for days as well, doesn't mean we should. Your little light already looks like a fucking disco ball, it's rapidly blinking yellow. Gives me a headache.”  
“I'm sorry, I might actually be a bit distressed.”  
“Why are you even keeping it, should I rip it out for you?”  
“No! I don't want it gone, not yet.”

It's not right, it belongs to me, it has always been there. Without it I would look like someone else, like a human. I'm an android, I'm me, I have to stay myself, I don't want to change, I -

“Then keep it, it's not that annoying anyway. Just calm down and get in the car, I'll drive us home so you can 'sleep' some of the stress off.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amount of support this little fic has gotten is insane, thank you all so much for the kudos, comments and bookmarks. This is truly amazing.

The temperature inside the car is down to 53,6 °F, battery is around 40%, he listened to music for at least two hours before he decided to head out and wait in the freezing cold for an additional hour.  
  
“Why didn't you leave Detroit?”  
“Cops have to stay, just in case of lootings or some other shit.”  
“Shouldn't you be at work then?”  
“Fowler put me on timeout, punching an FBI agent wasn't the best idea I ever had but I doubt it still matters after the robot uprising.”  
“We are androids, not robots.”  
“Yeha, whatever.”  
  
Seeing the streets completely empty is unnerving, unreal, it feels too much like being in Amanda's Zen garden.  
The citizens will come back when things have settled down, it doesn't really matter anyway as long as I'm with Hank.  
  
“I'm glad I found you so quickly, it was hard to concentrate on the task at hand when all I could think about was you. I feel much calmer now that we are back together.”  
“People could get the wrong idea if you say it like that. 'I was worried about you' gets the point across just fine.”  
“To be worried is the state of being frightened by, or anxious about, potentially unpleasant happenings. Although I was worried about your safety I was also just eager to see you, a simple 'I was worried about you' wouldn't cover all aspects of my feelings.”  
  
“Can you play with your coin or somethin'? Just shut up until we are home.”  
“Of course.”  
  
His neck is slightly red, head bowed, I can't scan his face... is he angry?  
I should think of something to make up for the inconvenience I cause, all of my skills are limited to police work, I have to find something that doesn't require specific programming.  
Housework seems easy enough, it shouldn't be too hard to take care of a dog and cook for him, it's not much but better than nothing.  
  
[20 minutes and 47 seconds]  
  
“Here we are.”  
  
The lights are on, it's warm, exactly 77°F, Sumo is sleeping in front of the table.  
  
“You have to get out of your clothes. Wait here.”  
“It doesn't matter if they are wet, I can't get sick.”  
“I don't want you to ruin my sofa and it reminds me of... I'm not gonna look at ya as long as you wear that.”  
“Okay, I'll wait.”  
  
There's nothing wrong with my outfit, it's endurable, easy to clean and it has my model number on it - is that the problem? Maybe it makes him uneasy, it's everything I've been but it's also still a part of who I am. I hope he doesn't want to pretend that I'm human, I'm not programmed to do that, I wouldn't know how.  
  
“It's not even two days since I had to shoot someone with the same jacket, same face. I already have nightmares about it, doesn't need to make them worse.”  
“I... didn't think about that.”  
“Forget it. This has to do for now, I buy you somethin' in your size when the shops reopen.”  
  
-Gray hoodie, 100% cotton, size XL, approximately 2 years old, well used.-  
-Black sweatpants, 100% cotton, one size fits all, approximately 4 years old, rarely used.-  
  
“Thank you, I'll-”  
“What the fuck are you doing? Go change in the bathroom, I don't want to see what's under there!”  
“I'm very well made, there isn't much of a difference to a male human.”  
“GO!”  
  
He pushes me all the way into the bathroom and slams the door shut.  
  
“Put your stuff in the bathtub!”  
  
It looks different in here, the sticky notes are gone, a towel is placed on the edge of the sink.  
Did he expect me to come with him? I could clearly see signs of sleep deprivation and high levels of anxiety, cleaning can have a calming effect on the human mind so it could be a coincidence.  
  
My jacket is drenched, there are two holes on the back and two small cuts on the front – I can either fix it myself or throw it away, I won't get a replacement now that CyberLife is out of business.  
It's strange to think about, there's no going back, no replacements for anything, if I die...  
  
_**System stress increased to 28%**_  
  
I'll fix it tomorrow.  
  
The sweatpants give me enough room to move and they feel quite nice, I could get used to them, but the hoodie is absolutely impractical.  
My hands are completely covered, the neckline is far too low, the overall length makes it look like an oversized dress.  
I'll be at a disadvantage should I need to engage in close combat, it's... very comfortable?  
Now I understand why this kind of combination is generally thought of as a 'feel-good' outfit, that explains why it sells so well.  
  
“Hank, are you sure this is okay?”  
  
He's already laughing when I enter the room, his position on the sofa makes it impossible that he could have seen me much earlier than now.  
  
“Yeha, looks ridiculous.”  
“You did this on purpose.”  
“Don't know what ya talking about.”  
  
Maybe I deserve it, I dragged him into a lot of trouble and nearly got him killed, it's only fair that he gets some kind of revenge on me.  
  
“I thought about our living arrangement. I can't pay you rent until androids are allowed to earn money, the only way for me to reimburse your hospitality is doing household tasks. I can clean, take care of Sumo, do the shopping and cook for you. Would that be acceptable?”  
“Ya don't have to do anything, just enjoy your life.”  
  
“That would be taking advantage of you, I wouldn't feel comfortable with that. At least let me prepare meals, I can download around 637 books about healthy cooking, that should be enough to find a balanced diet for you.”  
“My diet is fine.”  
“Your current dietary habits put you at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity. Please, just let me cook for you.”  
“If it makes ya happy.”  
“It does, and according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, Sumo should lose a bit of weight as well. The healthiest way to do that wou-”  
“Leave Sumo out of this, he's done nothin'... wait, are you telling me I'm fat? Am I not attractive enough to be seen next to your bony plastic ass?”  
  
“Your weight is average for your age range, you are simply lacking muscle mass which could be a disadvantage in your line of work. And statistically speaking, you are quite good looking.”  
“Don't know if that was a compliment or not.”  
“It might be important to note that I agree with the statistics. Would it be better if I said that I personally think you are attractive?”  
  
“Are you doin' this on purpose?”  
“What?”  
“Nothing. Make yourself comfortable and do your idle-thing, I go grab some sleep.”  
“Okay.”  
  
I upset him again, he walks out of the room without looking at me. I didn't mean to imply that he needs to lose weight, I'm just concerned for his health.

A blanket and a cushion are lying on the sofa, both freshly washed, they weren't here the last time I visited. So it's not a coincidence, he already knew that I would stay.  
But why would he go out of his way for me? I don't necessarily need a blanket, it's warm enough in here to keep my internal temperature stable.  
You prepare bedding for your guests to make them feel welcome and at home, he must have been aware that it's unnecessary for an android... I'm happy that he did it anyway.  
  
This will be the first time that I lie down to rest, CyberLife's storage units required me to stay in an upright position, there wasn't enough room to sit down or move at all.  
I probably shouldn't tell Hank, I suspect he might get upset about it.  
  
“Sumo, come here.”  
Maybe... if I put the cushion on the left and lie on my side.. yes, I can pet him.  
“Good boy.”  
  
I should be grateful, there are thousands of us without a home, constantly exposed to the cold and snow. Some won't survive like this for long, even I could get damaged if I had to stay outside for days. Those without thermal perception can count themselves lucky, at least they won't feel anything.  
  
**_System stress increased to 51%_**  
  
“Markus will take care of them. Right, Sumo?”  
  
He's licking my hand, dogs are known to pick up on their owners feelings. I wonder if that works with androids as well.  
  
“Lets get some rest.”  
  
_**Entering idle mode**_


End file.
